There is no excusing a violent response so I am not defending Zidane's reaction. However you ARE defending the inciting rhetoric as not only acceptable but laudable. That is laughable. The belief that any gamesmanship is laudable is what leads to incidents of racial abuse and diving. That isn't good for the game.
And before you get a chance to reply that at the time of making that post, you didn't know what was exactly said, let me make it clear that everyone was already speculating that the comments were racial at the time of your post.
My original comment doesn't say or imply anything about justifying Zidane's action. In sharp contrast you blatantly endorse the Italians comments. My team was the USA. I am sorry they lost too.
I'm a racist? That's news to me. Sorry if you wanted France to win. It looks like your temper just got the best of you, much like it defeated Zidane. Don't call me a racist without a shred of proof. I'm not a racist. I'll be the bigger man once again and not respond in kind with personal insults like you just stooped to. Grow up.
Nobody heard what was said though, but everybody saw Zidane head butt the guy back. Right or wrong, Zidane still got thrown out. The guy was probably deserving of the head butt doesn't change the fact that Zidane's exit hurt France's chances to win.
To paraphrase Chris Rock...I'm not saying Zidane should've headbutted him, but I understand. Imagine if a non-black NBA player called Ben Wallace the n word and then made a horrible comment towards his brother who died of brain cancer the same way Materazzi called Zidane the n word and made an atrocious comment about his mother who is very ill. I'm sure Wallace would've destroyed the guy and we would all understand Wallace's reaction. This situation is worse, because FIFA has been having all kinds of problems with racism. Also, in many European countries you can be put in jail for making racial, ethnic, and/or religious slurs including in Germany. Again, my only complaint is that if Zidane was gonna go after him, he should've knocked him out. And he still won the Golden Ball as the best player of this World Cup.
If Michael Jordan headbutted Bryon Russell with 2 minutes left in game 6 because Russell talked bad about his dead father, than Russell wins the psychological battle. Violence is NEVER justifiable. Give the Italian player credit, he took advantage of Zidane's mental weaknesses and had him thrown out of the game. Zidane hurt his legacy and hurt his team as well.
Of course. I don't think anyone is saying that Zidane's reaction didn't hurt France or that he should have reacted that way.
Nice defense..."sorry if you wanted France to win." I didn't give a rat's ass who won. I stopped watching soccer in '98 and the Final was the only game I watched in this entire Cup. I said earlier in this thread that Zidane's actions were stupid and unjustifiable and he let his team and country down - I'm not defending him. This has nothing to do with Zidane or France. You on the other hand are over here blatantly applauding someone for using racial slurs. If that doesn't make you a racist, then I don't know what does. Given your track record of comments ("if I ever saw a group of Arabs assembling together on a plane there would be a texxx sized ass whooping"), it's safe to assume you're either incredibly stupid or an outright racist. I think it's a mixture of both.
Give the Italian player credit... Uh, no. That Zidane shouldn't have reacted violently doesn't translate into the Italian player doing something credible or laudable. You are saying that we should applaud the Italian's action as if it is ok to make racist and incidiary remarks in order to induce a reaction. It is akin to saying it is ok to dive because it's just 'gamesmanship' except this is worse because it is racist verbal abuse - something most of us clearly don't condone under any circumstance.
Exactly. A critique on Materazzi does not equal support of Zidane's actions. They're both in the wrong. Zidane should have kept his cool for the sake of his team and country. Materazzi...I don't know how anyone is even defending the use of racial slurs in ANY instance.
With all due respect, I think HayesStreet already dismantled this "argument" of yours, but I will add that if John Stockton had called Jordan the n word and also made some atrocious comments about his dead father, a violent reaction would be understandable, which is different than say it's justified. Also, if we were to use your rationale it would be okay for the Rockets to send out Ryan Bowen each game to call the opposing team's best player a n***** so that Houston could try and gain an advantage by trying to provoke a violent reaction to get a player ejected by using a racial slur.
You are a slanderer and a flat out liar. Shame on you. You must be offended because Zidane is part of your religion (although he's really not...). I'm not condoning making racist statements. None of us were there and heard what was said by Materazzi. Materazzi did in fact win the war with Zidane by making ZZ crack mentally. That got ZZ ejected, which likely had an impact on the game. Regarding your flat out lie, you conveniently left off the most important part from your fabricated quote of "mine" that you included in your post. The congregation at the front of the plane was what I had an issue with in that thread that must be over a year old by now. FranchiseBlade tried to call me a racist for it, and he's full of it. He was trying to needle me and get under my skin and it didn't work.
LOL, what a joke. I pretty much expected you to use these arguments to defend yourself: 1. Claim I supported France and am upset with the outcome. Check. 2. Claim I am justifying ZZ's actions by equating criticizing Materazzi with supporting ZZ. Check. 3. Claim that noone knows what Materazzi said. Check. You're getting way too predictable in your old age, texxx, and it's hurting your ability to reason. Tell me now why it's at all relevant if he really did use the alleged racial slur when you have already gone on record as to condoning the use of one? We're arguing the principle here, texxx and you've already gone out of your way to say "I give the Italian credit for whatever he said - it obviously worked." and "Materazzi wasn't making an address to the United Nations, here. He was running smack during a soccer game to get in his opponents' head. I don't advocate calling all Arabs terrorists, but Zidane surely has heard that one before and shouldn't let it rile him up in overtime of the world cup final. Materazzi almost certainly doesn't think Zidane is a terrorist in real life, come on. He was trying to get in Zidane's head and he succeeded." It's irrelevant whether or not it occurred. You already condone the action in principle - or wait...was that lame attempt the sound of you backpedaling? Uhhh, that's what I said. Actually, my feelings are hurt that you don't remember that I was the one who "needled" you. You took issue with the congregation at the plane and then to support your argument you came back in your machoistic way and added that if you were to ever see such an assembly, there would be a texxx sized ass whooping.
I don't think anyone applauds Zidane for his actions, but this Italian buffoon(Who apparently has a history of being a dirty player) is a disgrace to his country and the sport of soccer. My mother is also very ill, and if someone had insulted in her in such a heated match where tempers are already on edge AND he made a racially insensitive comment, I think I would have done the same. texxx, you're ridiculous, and you wouldn't understand. You've never played sports in such a high-pressure situation, you've never not been white, and you've probably never been called the son of a terrorist while your mother was ill. The fact that you think Materazzi won some sort of mental match speaks volumes, IMO. Materazzi should be absolutely ashamed. Even more embarassing is how he is denying what he said/did.
Your logic is incredibly circular and you repeatedly have contradicted yourself in your huff. I'm not going to sit here and go back and forth with you since I obviously touched a nerve (probably the one you conveniently didn't address in your last post). Materazzi won the battle - there's no doubt in anyone's mind about that. I don't even know if he said anything racist or not. Whatever he said, it broke ZZ, and ZZ headbutted him away from the ball. That was an incredible error and made ZZ look like a fool and could have cost France the World Cup. I really hope he didn't say anything racist, because I don't condone racism, but if you look at the final score, Materazzi won, and he is probably still celebrating. ZZ has to block out trash talk - he failed in this regard and it cost him and his legacy.
Uhh, how have I contradicted myself? You're the one further embarrassing himself backpedaling from your initial comments. You touched a nerve and I conveniently didn't adress it? How? It only further proves your buffoonery that you assume I am either Muslim or Arab because I defend the two subjects. I really hope you don't ever plan on going to law school because you would make an absolutely terrible lawyer. If you were smart, you would defend yourself by arguing that condoning racial slurs doesn't make someone a racist. Tough challenge, but you would be better off than the pathetic defense you've put up thus far, backing off your original statements condoning the use of slurs and repeating that noone even knows if Materrazi used a slur and that ZZ was at fault. I don't even know why I bother arguing with you. You're pathetic and your racist rhetoric is plastered all over the forums for anyone to see. I'm surprised you haven't been banned yet, but I hope you don't because I think it's rather funny to see you try and defend yourself.
